UCR Thomas Haider Program

[collegecare]

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Hi, Does anyone know how competitive this program is and any previous experiences? Is it worthwhile and what are the most important criteria for selection?

 

[jr doctor in sd]

Hi, Does anyone know how competitive this program is and any previous experiences? Is it worthwhile and what are the most important criteria for selection?

Well one of my closest friends was immediately offered a spot in the program...I think it depends how competitive you are and how strong your work ethic is. I forget the exact figures but I think it was something crazy like a few hundred people are accepted with only like 3-4 spots at UCLA SOM (which...i personally wouldnt want to go to period - but thats a long story). And the bad part about it is that its accelerated already + you're thrown in with people who are almost certain out of HS they want to pursue medicine - so its not like normal college where alot say hey id love to be a doc...then switch to sociology/communications a quarter later.

Personally my friend was glad he didnt take the spot...and if i was offered it i wouldnt have as well...👍

but im sure others are proponents of such a system

 

[drizzt3117]

It is very competitive. Personally I think the UCSD bs/md is nice, if you like UCSD, anyways.

 

[RPedigo]

I'm a UC Riverside student, applying for the Thomas Haider program. You have to of course be a UC Riverside student to be eligible to apply. You do the first two (science-based) years at UCR, and the second two (clinical-based) years at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. It's an excellent program since there's only 24 spots, which translates into a very small class size. The Thomas Haider students end up doing extremely well on the Step I and matching because there's so much individual attention.

The biggest difference is that it used to be a major that you had to declare (biomedical sciences). Each quarter they would cut people out of the major, until there weren't many left. You graduated in 3 years for undergraduate, so you had the benefit of starting medical school early. Due to a variety of reasons, they got rid of that method-- now it's exactly the same as applying to any other medical school with the obvious caveat that you have to be a UC Riverside student. The number of applicants in this new program style varies, but usually is from 150-300.

It is quite competitive, and the accepted class is consistently filled with amazing people. If you have specific questions, let me know... most of my medical student friends are in this program, and hopefully I'll join them next year!

 

[collegecare]

Hi, I tried messaging you but I'm not sure whether you received it or not. Anyways, could you describe UCR a little for me? Did you enjoy it? Did you live on campus? What activities were you involved with?
I plan on visiting the campus.

 

[RPedigo]

Hey collegecare,

I'm really sorry, I totally forgot to reply to your PM. My apologies.

UCR is a great institution, I love it here. All of the professors are extremely personable and available (even though Princeton Review says otherwise), and there is a lot of opportunity for individuals to pursue their interests. I teach chemistry at UCR and do research here with my own project-- it's rare that opportunities such as these are readily available for those who wish to take advantage of them.

The drawbacks are of course certain aspects of the city-- the air quality leaves much to be desired and the crime rate isn't fantastically low. I was in the dorms my first year (Aberdeen Inverness) and that was a lot of fun, albeit GPA-hindering. I wouldn't take it back for anything though, because it was a great experience. I live off-campus now.

I'm not involved in any extracurricular activities really, just the teaching and research. On my free time I just hang out with all my friends and such. Depending on when you're there, if I'm on campus I would have no problem showing you around, showing you my laboratory, etc.

 

[Tenacity]

I also go to UCR, and can offer some insight into the program. There are twenty four seats for the program, and yes, the current students are very bright. It is competitive, but a often stated fact is that UCLA has many more applicants applying for a seat than for Haider. UCR's program has 10 people applying for one seat, which is a huge advantage for the Highlanders.

I know a couple of people in the program as well, and it is no blow over. The curriculum is closely modeled after UCLA's down to the core, so that is another factor of why Haider students do so well in the USMLE Step 1.

If you have a chance to go to UCR, I'd definitely recommend it. RPedigo has said it all about the faculty here.

 

[UCLAstudent]

The Thomas Haider students end up doing extremely well on the Step I and matching because there's so much individual attention.

I'm not in the Haider program --- just the plain old UCLA program 😉 --- but one of my fellow MS3s in the Haider program told me on Friday that he got in the 190s on Step 1 (20+ points below the national average). In reality, USMLE score is more a function of individual effort than anything, including a school's curriculum.

If anyone has questions about the clinical years, let me know. I'm a current MS3, and the clinical years are identical for UCLA students and UCR/UCLA students.

 

[littlealex]

Whoa sucks for him. Can you retake the USMLE1 if you do poorly?

 

[johnincidis]

when ucr opens their own med school will ucr still offer the thomas haider program

 

[johnincidis]

I also go to UCR, and can offer some insight into the program. There are twenty four seats for the program, and yes, the current students are very bright. It is competitive, but a often stated fact is that UCLA has many more applicants applying for a seat than for Haider. UCR's program has 10 people applying for one seat, which is a huge advantage for the Highlanders.

I know a couple of people in the program as well, and it is no blow over. The curriculum is closely modeled after UCLA's down to the core, so that is another factor of why Haider students do so well in the USMLE Step 1.

If you have a chance to go to UCR, I'd definitely recommend it. RPedigo has said it all about the faculty here.

when ucr opens their own med school will ucr still offer the thomas haider program

 

[thesauce]

Whoa sucks for him. Can you retake the USMLE1 if you do poorly?

Nope. You can only retake it if you fail.

 

[thesauce]

I'm a UC Riverside student, applying for the Thomas Haider program. You have to of course be a UC Riverside student to be eligible to apply. You do the first two (science-based) years at UCR, and the second two (clinical-based) years at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. It's an excellent program since there's only 24 spots, which translates into a very small class size. The Thomas Haider students end up doing extremely well on the Step I and matching because there's so much individual attention.

The biggest difference is that it used to be a major that you had to declare (biomedical sciences). Each quarter they would cut people out of the major, until there weren't many left. You graduated in 3 years for undergraduate, so you had the benefit of starting medical school early. Due to a variety of reasons, they got rid of that method-- now it's exactly the same as applying to any other medical school with the obvious caveat that you have to be a UC Riverside student. The number of applicants in this new program style varies, but usually is from 150-300.

It is quite competitive, and the accepted class is consistently filled with amazing people. If you have specific questions, let me know... most of my medical student friends are in this program, and hopefully I'll join them next year!

I agree with UCLAStudent that this probably has very little to do with it. Step 1 is a personal challenge and no one can hold your hand through it. I doubt personalized attention would be helpful, much less causative for performing well on step 1. It's like saying a smaller Kaplan review course would get you a better MCAT score...really? In addition, "how you match" has a great deal to do with your core clerkships and electives that don't occur until 3rd and 4th year. By then, these students are already part of the larger class.

 

[deleted449192]

Hi, I'm currently a second year considering Medicine, and am trying to figure this out as well. However, last year I was told that Class of 2014 and before are "grandfathered" and that the Haider program would still be made available to them. Thus, my class would be the last class to be able to apply. I plan on speaking with the folks at HPAC soon though, just to make sure.

 

[deleted449192]

when ucr opens their own med school will ucr still offer the thomas haider program

Hi, I'm currently a second year considering Medicine, and am trying to figure this out as well. However, last year I was told that Class of 2014 and before are "grandfathered" and that the Haider program would still be made available to them. Thus, my class would be the last class to be able to apply. I plan on speaking with the folks at HPAC soon though, just to make sure.